Fitness has always been a concern with regard to both mental and physical health regardless of age, gender, or any other variables that make each one of us unique. And for those in the blind community, fitness is every bit as much—if not more—important.

Exercise for the visually impaired is something that should be incorporated into a weekly, if not daily, routine for a variety of reasons that are both similar and different from people within the sighted community. For those with total loss of sight as well as for those who are low sighted, a lack of regular exercise can bring on a host of other issues, including weight gain, sluggishness, and perhaps worst of all for many, insomnia or a circadian rhythm that has been thrown completely off track.

A quality workout done at the right time of day and at the right pace to meet your unique physical and mental needs is just what the doctor may have forgotten to order. For many blind people, fitness has been a challenge: without someone to guide you and without the ability to drive yourself to the gym, it becomes obvious why so many visually impaired individuals give up—but with the BlindAlive line of Fitness Workouts for blind people, you’ll never have to depend on anyone else again.

Yoga and Strength Training with wieghts for blind people along with a variety of other cardiovascular exercises help our bodies stay toned, help us gain muscle mass and lose weight, but most of all, can help lead a blind person away from a sense of helplessness.

Are you ready to sweat? Come get healthy and leave all your notions of not being able to get fit due to your visual impairment behind with BlindAlive!

Dinner’s in the Pan

It’s nearly impossible these days to look at any websites related to healthy eating and not come across sheet pan dinners. I wanted to find out why they had become so popular, and decided to share what I found with our readers.

A sheet pan is generally a fancy name for a cookie sheet. However, you want to make sure that the pan you want to use has a small raised rim on all four sides and is made of a fairly heavy metal. Most home ovens will accommodate a pan that is 18 by 13 inches. This is the size of a standard cookie sheet, and is also referred to as a half sheet pan. You can also use a quarter sheet pan, which is 9 by 13 inches. I imagine you could also use a 9 by 13 inch cake pan. This might be especially helpful for those who have difficulty keeping things level, or who have hand tremors.

Essentially, a sheet pan meal is comprised of protein, vegetables, and whatever seasonings and flavorings you want. You can follow recipes, or create your own. I made shrimp fajitas, and they came out fantastic. I skipped the tortillas, and just enjoyed the shrimp and veggie goodness. (Tip: to jump directly to the recipe, search for the words “red onion,” and you’ll be at the top of the ingredients list.

With a little preparation, you can toss together a delicious meal in minutes, and let your oven do most of the work. And if you are limited for time or do not feel comfortable cutting up vegetables, your supermarket can be a good source for fresh or frozen vegetables that have already been prepared. If you don’t find them already bagged, consider checking out the salad bar.

If you have a sheet pan recipe or method you love, we’d be happy to hear from you. Just contact us by visiting our website.